VICTORIA - The new Land Title and Survey Authority Act leads the way for a new authority to assume the operation of the provincial land title and survey system, Sustainable Resource Management Minister George Abbott announced today.
The Land Title and Survey Authority will be an independent, not-for-profit authority that will assume the provincial land title and survey system. The authority will provide better service through improved technology and more management flexibility in order to respond to changes in demand for services.
"Detailed, accurate and timely land title information is important for a successful economy because it is the basis for selling and developing private land," said Abbott. "The continuing boom in real estate transactions has pushed service demand up by as much as 30 per cent. This new authority provides the certainty necessary for land transactions that are critical to the province's economy."
The Land Title and Survey Authority will be headquartered in Victoria. The authority's permanent board will be made up of nominees from government and key stakeholder groups, including the Law Society of BC, the Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, the First Nations Summit, the Society of Notaries, the BC Association of Professional Registry Agents, the BC Real Estate Association, and the Union of BC Municipalities.
Government announced May 13 that it would establish a Land Title and Survey Authority following consultations with a wide range of land title and survey system users. Government has led the planning of the authority with input from an interim CEO and a stakeholder committee comprised of organizations with a direct interest in efficient and effective land title and survey operation.
All existing land title offices in Victoria, Kamloops and New Westminster will remain open to the public. All employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to the new authority. All existing third-party contracts, including BC OnLine and collective and pension agreements, will also be transferred to the authority.
